Laura Bettenhausen

What is your major? Sociology

Expected graduation: May 2024

What inspired your interest in the environment and/or community? I grew up being outdoors a lot with my family, and always enjoyed doing a lot of hiking and camping. I always loved nature in this way, but was excited to learn more about the intricacies of it through college courses. I have been especially interested in Indigenous environmental justice and have done research on the rights of nature enshrined in the constitution of Ecuador. Additionally, I have a passion for community gardens and environmental education because I believe that the first step in protecting nature is having a personal connection with it.

What would you say to other students about CESP and the Nelson Institute? I would tell students interested in CESP that it is such a great community to be a part of and the people are extremely kind and welcoming. Being around people who love the environment and care about social issues makes me hopeful for the future as well. Seeing how many people care about the same things I do is very encouraging, and balances out all the other, more pessimistic classes I have to take for my majors.

Something few people know about you: Something about me that few people know is that I love both country and rap music! Another thing I’d like to share is that after graduation in May I will be working as an urban farm assistant in Fitchburg which I am very excited about.